1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a construction of and a method of processing an end portion of a shielded cable.
The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. Hei. 9-288780, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 6 shows a conventional shielded cable end-processing construction analogous to those disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication Nos. Hei. 6-260246 and Hei. 8-45575.
An outer insulating sheath 5 is stripped or removed from an end portion of a shielded cable 1 so as to expose a braid 4, and further an inner insulating sheath 3 is stripped so as to expose a conductor 2, and in this condition the shielded cable 1 is subjected to a processing. An annular stopper ring 6 is pressed to grip that portion of the outer insulating sheath 5 disposed adjacent to the exposed braid 4, and a tubular shield terminal 7 is pressed to grip the braid 4, thus effecting the predetermined processing.
The shield terminal 7 comprises an annular pressing portion 7a for being pressed (or compressed) into contact with the braid 4, and an annular contact portion 7b extending from the annular pressing portion 7a for contact with a shield contact (not shown) or a terminal of a mating connector (not shown). In FIG. 6, reference numeral 8 denotes a shield pipe which is mounted, together with the shield terminal on the shielded cable 1, and reference numeral 9 denotes a rubber plug which is mounted on the outer insulating sheath 5 for waterproof purposes.
Next, a conventional shielded cable-processing method will be described with reference to FIG. 7.
As shown in FIG. 7A, the stopper ring 6 is fitted on the shielded cable 1, and in this condition the shielded cable 1 is horizontally held on a setting jig 10 as shown in FIG. 7B.
The setting jig 10 comprises a pair of upper and lower dies 10a and 10b, and the stopper ring 6 is supported on the lower die 10b, and in this condition the upper die 10 is moved downward to press or compress the stopper ring 6. As a result of this pressing operation, the stopper ring 6 bites into the outer insulating sheath 5 to thereby increase the strength of connection between the outer insulating sheath 5 and the braid 4, so that the outer insulating sheath 5 and the braid 4 are prevented from axial displacement with respect to each other.
Thereafter, the waterproof plug 9 is press-fitted on the shielded cable 1, and the shield pipe 8 and the shield terminal 7 are located on the exposed portion of the braid 4. First, as shown in FIG. 7C, the shield pipe 8 is moved into engagement with the end of the outer insulating sheath 5, and is disposed on the outer periphery of the braid 4, and then, as shown in FIG. 7D, the shield terminal 7 is moved into engagement with the end of the outer insulating sheath 5. At this time, the shield terminal 7 pushed to be disposed inwardly of the braid 4, that is, between the braid 4 and the inner insulating sheath 3.
After this mounting operation, a pressing force is applied to the outer surface of the shield pipe 8. As a result of this pressing operation, the braid 4 is firmly held between the shield pipe 8 and the annular pressing portion 7a of the shield terminal 7, so that the braid 4 and the shield terminal 7 are connected together. At the same time, the annular pressing portion 7a of the shield terminal 7 bites into the inner insulating sheath 3, so that the shield terminal 7 is fastened or fixed to the shielded cable 1. At this time, the shield pipe 8, provided on the outer periphery of the braid 4, protects the braid 4 from being torn or cut by the pressing force.
In the conventional end-processing method, however, the braid 4 and the shield terminal 7 must be connected together, and in addition it is necessary to prevent the outer insulating sheath 5 and the braid 4 from displacement with respect to each other, and in order to prevent this displacement, the stopper ring 6 is used. And besides, during the connection of the shield terminal 7 to the braid 4, it is necessary to prevent the braid 4 from being torn or damaged by the pressing force, and therefore the shield pipe 8 is used. Thus, many component parts are required, and the number of the parts is increased.
Furthermore, after the stopper ring 6 is pressed (or compressed), the shield pipe 8 and the shield terminal 7 are pressed, thus requiring the two pressing operations in all, and the number of the steps of the processing is increased, and much time is required.
And besides, the shielded cable 1 mist be horizontally held by the use of the setting jig 10 since the stopper ring 6 can not be easily fixed in position on the shielded cable 1. Thus, the setting jig 10 is needed for the processing of the shielded cable 1.
After the stopper ring 6 is mounted on the shielded cable, the rubber plug 9 is fitted on the shielded cable, and is moved toward the braid 4, and therefore there is encountered a disadvantage that the rubber plug 9, when to be mounted on the shielded cable, is liable to interfere with the stopper ring 6, and may be damaged by this interference.